Violins
by missoneandonly
Summary: Orchestra AU. Twelve/Clara oneshot.


**-I don't own anything-**

_Orchestral AU_

_Twelve/Clara_

Clara was nervous. She could feel her hands shaking as she grabbed her violin and slipped out of the taxi. Once out onto the unforgiving concrete pavement, she struggled to open her umbrella without dropping everything she was carrying. The rain poured on, oblivious.

It was a short walk to the concert hall, and there were already wisps of songs drifting about the air when she stepped inside. And it was beautiful. Clara's breath hitched as she gazed around. In front of the hundred or so red velvet seats, the stage was illuminated by dozens of shimmering lights that hung high above. Most of the chairs were already filled with musicians, and Clara feared she was unforgivably late.

To her relief, a red-headed woman started towards her, notebook in hand.

"Clara Oswald? I'm Amy Pond, director of music. We spoke on the phone.

"Hi... I'm not late, am I?" Clara asked awkwardly, eyeing the small splodges of water that her umbrella had dripped onto the posh carpet.

"You're just in time. Please take your seat, we're starting in 5."

With that, the woman walked away, her hips swaying. Clara took a deep breath and moved towards to the steps that lead onto the stage. Apart from looking slightly drunk due to her silly heels, she managed to get to her seat in the strings section without incident. Placing her pink umbrella underneath her chair, she unzipped her violin case and opened the lid. The golden-brown instrument was sitting safely inside, and she breathed a sigh of adoration as she lifted it carefully out.

She's always loved playing the violin. Her mum bought her one for her sixth birthday, along with lessons every week for a year. After her mum died, she put her violin away and didn't expect to ever play it again. It was her dad that brought it down from the attic before she moved out, smiling sadly and telling her; _You never know, you might want to play again someday. _It had sat in her cupboard for about two years, until she got it out for a charity concert.

And she fell in love all over again.

Clara juggled music and studies until she finished university, and got a job as a teaching assistant in a school somewhere in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't much, but it left more than enough spare time to play music to her heart's content.

A couple of weeks after she moved into the isolated town of Gatebrook, she contacted Ms Pond about joining the orchestra. Clara was almost instantly accepted, and invited to come to her first rehearsal session on Wednesday. So here she was, on a Wednesday, tuning her violin happily among many other musicians in a beautiful hall she never knew existed before.

While flicking through the sheet music on the stand in front of her, Clara realised that someone was sitting next to her. It gave her a bit of a fright, but she managed not to look like a complete idiot and smiled politely. The man smiled back and returned to tuning his own instrument. He was older than Clara, with curly grey hair and bright blue eyes. He was wearing a dark blue jacket, and she could she a bit of the red lining sticking out. He must have caught her looking at him, because he chuckled quietly, an expression of amusement on his face. Clara blushed and busied herself in tuning her violin once more.

Then the conductor called the company to attention, and they didn't communicate once more for the whole of the session.

The man's talent was breathtaking. He played the violin like an extension of his own arm, his fingers caressing the strings with amazing dexterity. His wrist flicked the bow back and forth passionately, his body rocking gently as he played. Clara could hardly concentrate on the music in front of her, because his playing was giving her shivers. When the rehearsal was over, she had tears in her eyes and hardly had the coordination to pack up her things.

The man bent over to retrieve his violin case, and while doing so held up a tissue without looking. Clara plucked it out of his hand hastily, wiping her eyes and being careful not to smudge her eyeliner. Sniffing, she got her case as well, and packed up her violin. Zipping it up, she cast her eyes back up at the man, who was also looking at her.

They both averted their eyes quickly, breathing out in an awkward half-laugh. The man shook his head and rose from his seat. He started to walk out of the hall without looking back.

Clara got her umbrella from under the seat, and started off after him. The rain was really crashing down now, and the pavement was slick with water. The cold hit her like a brick wall, but she fought through it and continued walking through the bitter weather. She saw the man standing at the bus stop, totally drenched. He saw her too, and closed his eyes briefly in... not annoyance, but embarrassment?

She let a grin wipe across her face, and Clara briskly walked over to join him. Slipping the umbrella over his head, she stared up into his glimmering blue eyes. He looked down at her, and he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"So, coffee?"


End file.
